1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a locking mechanism used for securing a tree stand to a tree, which is quick and easy to use, adjustable, durable, and prevents theft of the tree stand.
2. Introduction
The advantage of hunting from an elevated position is well known to hunters. Hunters positioned in trees are not easily seen or smelled by their prey. At the same time, a sufficiently elevated position often affords the hunter a greater field of vision than is achieved by a position on the ground. Thus, an elevated hunting position is advantageous.
Most often, hunters achieve this advantage by positioning themselves in trees. While simply climbing a tree and perching on its limbs and branches may be sufficient to secure an elevated hunting position, doing so is uncomfortable, particularly if the hunter desires to remain in position for more than a brief period of time. Additionally, resting on limbs may also raise safety issues since the limbs and branches may not provide a sufficient surface for sitting or standing. This problem is even more prevalent because the hunter must also carefully aim and shoot while located in the tree and must be able to receive the force of the kickback from the gun without loosing balance or footing while in the tree.
Fixed tree stands, that is those most often constructed of wood and erected as a permanent fixture in a tree, are often used by hunters. These stands, however, pose disadvantages. For example, they are expensive and time-consuming to erect and they may not be re-located to a new hunting location when it may become desirable to do so. Accordingly, hunters increasingly use portable tree stands.
A wide variety of portable tree stands are commercially available. These stands are usually constructed of light weight materials and provide the hunter a surface upon which to sit or stand. The stands most often are affixed to a tree by straps which allow the stand to be quickly removed and re-located and which also avoid damaging the tree. Frequently the straps must be tensioned in order to secure the stand in place. A variety of tensioning mechanisms may be employed, such as the commonly used ratcheting buckle similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,175,806 (Prete).
Hunters often desire to leave their tree stands in the hunting area, unattended, for substantial periods of time. Because the hunting areas are remote from observation, usually located deep within a forest, and because portable tree stands may be quickly and easily removed from a tree, these stands may be easily stolen. Additionally, where the portable stand is secured to a tree by straps, the straps may become worn by exposure to natural elements, and ultimately may become unserviceable and dangerous to life and limb.
Several prior art inventions attempt to address the security of portable tree stands. Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 6,886,377 (Cohen) provides a locking mechanism which secures a tree stand to a tree. The Cohen apparatus comprises an eye bolt which is installed in the tree proximate to the location of the stand. A bracket is fashioned which covers the lateral portions of the structure of the tree stand and which receives the eye of the eye bolt in a central opening of the bracket. A keyed locking mechanism locks the bracket to the eyebolt.
While the Cohen invention provides for an apparatus to secure some tree stands, it suffers several disadvantages. Because the bracket must cover a substantial portion of the supporting structure of the tree stand and because the supporting structures of tree stands vary in construction, a single apparatus according to the Cohen patent is not readily adaptable to a wide variety of stands. Also, the insertion and removal of the eyebolt, which is necessary to relocate a tree stand employing the Cohen invention, is inconvenient. Additionally, because the eyebolt must be received at a precise location within the bracket and the bracket must be aligned with the structure of the stand, an undesirable, and sometimes unattainable, amount of precision is required for the placement of the eyebolt, increasing time and effort needed to utilize the device.
Likewise, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0209410 (Clum) discloses a tree stand lock comprising a hardened metal loop which is affixed to brackets integrally attached to the structure of the tree stand. It should be appreciated that the security of the Clum device is entirely dependent upon the integrity of the connection of the brackets to the structure. More specifically, if the brackets can be easily disconnected or separated from the tree strand structure, the security provided is minimal. Likewise, because the brackets must be securely fastened to the structure of the tree stand, the Clum apparatus is not easily adapted to a wide variety of tree stands and it may not be conveniently attached to an existing tree stand.
There is, therefore, a need for a tree stand lock apparatus which may easily and conveniently be employed. There is also a need for a tree stand lock apparatus which is durable and adjustable and which can be used with a wide variety of tree stands, without alteration of the stand.
3. Objects of the Invention
It is an object of the invention to provide a tree stand lock apparatus that may be easily and conveniently employed with a wide variety of tree stands. It is also an object of the invention to provide a tree stand lock apparatus that can be quickly and easily adjusted to a wide range of tree circumferences and which is durable and resistant to deterioration during adverse weather conditions. Finally, it is an object of the invention to provide a method for the use of the tree stand lock apparatus for the quick deployment of the apparatus.